Time-burning railway signal-fusee.



barren srara arasm ornrcia.

r LOUISE. ROSS, OF NEWTONVILLE, IHASSACHUSETTS.

rims-BURNING RAILWAY SIGNAL-Fuses.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS S. Ross, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of N ewtonville, in. the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Time-Burning Railway Signal-Fusees, of which the following description is a specification.

This invention relates to improvement in time burning railway signal fusees, the primary object thereof being to produce a fusee for such; purpose that will not spontaneously ignite under conditions to which it is necessarily subjected, which will not be extinguished when thrown from a moving train or ot-herw1se sub ected to severe shock,

but which is very inflammable, easily igni'ted, and insures continuity of the flame after lighting, and which is not subject to certain defects that have previously characterized the so-called perchlorate fusee.

A fusee made of mixtures containing a perchlorate, such as perchlorate of potassium, is recognized to be harder to ignite and more easily extinguished when thrown from a moving train than afusee of the socalled chlorate type. The so-called perchlorate fusee, in spite of this objection, is

used because of its substantial freedom from spontaneous ignition. Not only is the 'so-.

called perchlorate fusee objectionable because it is more readily extinguished when thrown, but also because it burns with a greater brilliancy tending toward incandescence; it possesses a decreased burning interval, and it is necessarily manufactured at a greater cost.

The greater brilliancy of the perchlorate fusee is caused by the increased oxidizing power of the chemicals required. This disadvantage becomes most serious where the fuseesburn with combination colors for the tendency to incandescence and excessive brilliancy causes the red, yellow and green fusee flames to lose their characteristic colors and gradually merge nearer a white light.

In all fusees there is a periodknown as thequickening up of the fusee, by which is meant the tendency to burn a shorter time than when first made. This is particularly noticeable in the perchlorate fusee, as such perchlorate fusee must be made with a longer burning interval when new, in order to prevent the possibility of burning under time at the end of a few months.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

To overcome this disadvantage increased length of case is necessary, which is a further disadvantage because the longer the fusee, the more leverage is possessed by the fuses when thrown from the train, with the resultant increased tendency toward breaking.

The greater cost of perchlorate, such, for example, as perchlorate of potassium over chlorate of potassium, is also a serious 0bjection to the so-called perchlorate fusee. Because of the fact that a perchlorate fusee is substantially free from danger of spontaneous ignition, although open to other objections, some of which'l have above enumerated, L have conducted a series of exlPatenteol Apr 22, 1913. Application filed November 16, 1912. Serial No. 731,907. 1

periments in order to produce if possible a- I fusee having a minimum quantity or proportion of perchlorate, as, for example, perehlorateo-f potassium, thereby reducing or overcomlng the objections to which the so-called perchlorate fuse-e is subject, while possessing freedom from spontaneous igmtion. In other words, I have endeavored to produce a fusee having freedom from spontaneous ignition and yet not readily extingulshed by shock when thrown, which does not burn with a brilliancy tending toward O I fuses and the increased cost of the latter.

I have as the result of said experiments discovered that excellent results may be obtamed by employing perchlorate such, for

.example, as perchlorate of potassium; ba-

rium, sodium or' ammonium, together with at least as great or a greater quantity of chlorate, such, for example, as chlorate of potassium, of barium, of sodium, of am moniumor any other suitable chlorate. I

have discovered that the temperature of ignition of the fusce decreases as the quantity of chlorate increases, but that the lower the temperature of ignition of the fusee, the more force of flame and the greater inflammability of the fuses. A lower temperature of ignition of the fusee is desirable, provided it be free from tendency to sponta neous ignition, as a fusee possessing such characteristic will, when nearly extinguished, revive and burn, due to the lower temperature required for relrindling. Furthermore, the greater the quantity of chlorate, the more inflammable is the fusee and chlorate fusee by perchlorate, as had been supposed, nor is it necessary to use a relatively large quantity of perchlorate of potassium when compared with the quantity of chlorate of potassium. On the other hand, the results of my experiments have distinctly shown that I may very largely reduce the quantity or proportion of perchlorate and employ a quantity of chlorate, at least as great as the quantity of perchlorate andpreferably greater. The resulting fusee is not liable to spontaneous ignition and it is of increased inflammability compared with the so-called perchlorate fusee, while the tenacity and force of the fusee composition are increased. Moreover, the fusee is not readily extinguished under adverse conditions and the fusee is not as readily extinguished by sudden shock by being thrown from a train as isthe so-called perchlorate fuseef i Perchlorate fusees as heretofore manufactured usually contain from five or six to twenty per cent. of potassium or other perchlorate, combined with which are nitrate, sulfur and carbohydrate, with charcoal and antimony if desired, in substantially the following pro-portionsz-nitrate to 95%,

sulfur 3 to 23%, carbohydrate 1 to 11%,

charcoal 1%, antimony 1%.

In accordance with my invention, I preferably provide as customary in the so-called perchlorate fusee, sulfur, hydrocarbon, carbohydrate or other suitable carbonaceous material, and a metallic salt, such as a metallic nitrate or oxid, to .which, if desired, I may add charcoal and antimony. Thesulfur is mainly used to increase combustion, the hydrocarbon 'and'the carbohydrate or carbonaceous material are-used to furnish carbon and hydrogen to aid combustion and to smooth'and deepen the flame, and the metallic salt, which is preferably that of strontium, barium or sodium, constitutes the base or color ingredient. tallic salt employed burns with oxidation and a colored flame. To this or other desired ingredients, I add a suitable quantity of perchlorate (preferably perchlorate of potassium) though .I may employ any suitable perchlor ate,'."such, for example, as barium, sodium or ammonium perchlorate, and at least as great and preferably a greater quantity of chlorate (preferably chlorate of potassium, thoughflI may employ any suit-- able chlorate, such for example as chlorate of barium, of sodium or of-ammonium).'

While the proportions of the several ingredients may be "aried, they maybe those In other words the mestated for nitrate, sulfur, carbonaceous material, and antimony if desired, with the hereinafter described admixture of perchlorate and of chlorate.

jlhe carbonaceous material preferably employed by me consists of rosin or red gum, charcoal and sawdust and grease in suitable proportions. The red gum employed is the powdered bark -of the red gum (Eucalyptus rostmzfa.) 'It' will be understood that I may employ. one or more carbohydrates, hydrocarbons or carbons, either alone or in any suitable ,mixture, or that any two of such carbonaceous materials may be employed. I have obtained excellent results by employing the following formula wherein the in gredients are specified in percentages :metallic nitrate 50 to sulfur 10 to 15%, carbohydrate 2 to 7%, hydrocarbon 1 to 3%, perchlorate of potassium, of "barium, of sodium or of ammonium 2!; to 10%, chlorate of potassium, of barium, of sodium or of ammonium 2-} to 19%.

I set forth definitely a specific formula. in the use of which I have obtained excellent results, as follows z-metallic nitrate 61%, sulfur 12%, carbohydrate 5%, hydrocarbon 2%, perchlorate of potassium 8%, chlorate of potassium 12%.

' In any case the quantity of chlorate used at least equals the quantity of perchlorate used, and if the quantity of perchlorate is decreased, then preferably the quantity of chlorate is correspondingly increased, so. that the sum of the quantities of chlorate and perchlorate remains the same, thus reducing cost and insuring reliability.

By largely reducing the quantity of perchlorate, I have, as previously stated, removed the objections incident to the socalled perchlorate fusee, and I have succeeded in obtaining a fusee which is not subject to spontaneous ignition or combustion.

Although the fusee obtained by me is not subject to spontaneous combustion, I may, if desired, employ a so-callcd ant-acid or neu tralizing agent, preferably calcium or other carbonate, which will neutralize any possible tendency to an acid re-action of the sulfur and chlorate of potassium, while not impairing the brilliancy and the force of flame. Such neutralizing agent, if em loyed, does not constitute a greater proportlon than one half to three per cent. of the entire composition.

The fuseeconstructed in accordance with my invention burns with tenacity and force, and the temperature of ignition is not maintained at such a height as'to render difiicult the reviving'or're-kindling of the fusee when nearly extinguished from shock or other cause.

Preferably, I employ potassium chlorate 1n a red fusee and barium chlorate in a green :tusee, but by using any chlorate, I have suc weaves I characteristic disadvantages of the so-called perchlorate fusee previously pointed outs 'The time burning railway signal fusee compound embodying my invention contains as essential ingredients a perchlorate and a chlorate in the proportions herein set forth, it being noted that the chlorate is equalto or greater in quantity than the perchlorate, any suitable perchlorate and any suitable chlorate being used, together with sulfur. To this composition, I add one or more of the other ingredien s specified by.

me, and for the best results I add metallic nitrate and some suitable carbonaceous material.

I employ the term carbonaceous material to include hydrocarbon, carbohydrate, carbons and other suitable carbon containing material.

I may employ any suitable metallic salt in the production of the fusee, of which a metallic nitrate is an example.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention and the best manner known to me for carrying the same into eflect, I desire it to be understood that the scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims;

1. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising a metallic nitrate, carbonaceous material, sulfur, perchlorate, and a quantity of chlorate at least equaling the quantity of perchlorate, thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked iinflammability, tenacity and forceof flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion, nor

readily extinguished by shock.

2. A time burning railway signal fusee including a metallic salt burning with oxida-' tion and a colored flame, sulfur, perchlorate, and a quantity of chlorate at least equaling the quantity of perchlorate, thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force offlame and not liable to spontaneousignition or combustion nor readily 3. A time burning railway signal fusee including sulfur, metallic nitrate, perchlorate, and a quantity of chlorate at least equaling the quantity of perchlorate, thereby producing a time burning rallway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor readily extinguished by shock.

A. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising a metallic nitrate, carbonaceous extinguished by shock.

- tion or combustion material, sulfur, perchlorate of potassium, and a quantity of chlorate of potassium at least equaling the quantity of perchlorate of potassium, thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability," tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor readily extinguished by shock.

5. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising a metallic salt, burning with oxidation and a colored flame, sulfur, hydrocarbon, carbon, perchlorate of potassium, and a quantity of chlorate of potassium at least equaling the quantity of perchlorate of potassium, thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor readily extinguished by shock.

6. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising fifty to eight-y per cent. metallic nitrate, ten to fifteen per cent. sulfur, three to ten per cent. carbonaceous material, two and a half to ten per cent. perchlorate of potassium, two and a half to nineteen per cent. chlorate of potassium, but the percentage of chlorate at least equaling that of the perchlorate, thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to' spontaneous i ition or combustion nor readily extingulshed by shock.

7. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising fifty to eighty per cent. metallic nitrate, ten to fifteen per cent. sulfur, three to ten per cent. carbonaceous material, two and a half to ten per cent. perchlorate of potassium, and a quantity of chlorate of potassium substantially greaterthan the quantity of perchlorate of potassium, thereby producing a' time burnlng railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy,

marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor readily extinguished by shock.

8. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising a metallic* nitrate, sulfur, a chlorate, and a quantity of perchlorate smaller than the quantity of. chlorate, thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous igninor readily extinguished by shock.

9. A time burning railway signal fusee comprising a metallic nitrate, carbonaceous material, sulfur, perchlorate of potassium, a quantity of chlorate of potassium at least equaling the quantity of perchlorate of potassium, and an acid neutralizing agent,

&

thereby producing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor readily extinguished by shock.

10. A t'me burning railway signal fusee comprising a metallic nitrate, carbonaceous material, sulfur, perchlorate of potassium, a quantity of chlorate equaling the quantity tassium, and a small of perchlorate of poquantity of calcium carbonate, thereby producing a time burn- 1ng rallway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked infiammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor.

readily extinguished by shock.

11. A time burning railway signal fusee of potassium at least comprising about sixty-one per cent. metallic nitrate, twelve per cent. sulfur, five per cent. carbohydrate, two per cent. hydrocarbon, eight per cent. perchlorate of potassium, twelve per cent. chlorate of potassium, thereby providing a time burning railway signal fusee compound burning with brilliancy, marked inflammability, tenacity and force of flame and not liable to spontaneous ignition or combustion nor readily extinguished by shock.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS S. ROSS.

Witnesses:

IRVING U. TOWNSEND, ROBERT H. KAMMILER. 

